Flat-bottomed coin purse



Allg- 27, 1957 D. J. NASH 2,804,114

FLAT-BOTTOM@ COIN PURSE Filed llarch 28, 1955' INVENTOR Z TTOR'NEY Patented Aug. at, 1957 FLAT-BTTM'ED COIN PURSE Daniel Il. Nash, Jersey City, N. J., assigner to Nash Inc., llersey City, N. i., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 2.8, 1955, Serial No. 497,115 6 Claims. (Cl. 15d- 44) The present invention relates generally to improvements in pocketbooks, pouches, purses and similar receptacles, and in particular it relates to an improved coin and token receptacle of the flat-bottomed, collapsible pouch type.

There are numerous types of purse, coin and token receptacles, each of which possesses certain advantages and disadvantages. One type rof coin purse which is highly desirable is the Hat-bottom pouch since it offers maximum visibility of the contents thereof. However, the pouch type of coin receptacles heretofore available have many drawbacks; they are complicated and costly to make, they are bulky and of small depth, greatly limiting the capacity thereof.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention ,to provide an improved pocketbook, pouch, purse or similar receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved collapsible receptacle for coins, tokens and the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved flat-bottomed type of collapsible purse.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved deep, at-bottomed collapsible purse of simple construction.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved deep, fiat-bottomed collapsible purse having means urging the same to a fully open position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, flat-bottom collapsible purse which may form part of a wallet.

The above and further objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of .the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of one form of coin receptacle constructed according to and embodying the present invention, illustrated in closed condition and carried by a wallet shown in broken lines;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the receptacle in fully open position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view thereof in partially open position;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view `taken along line 6 6 of Figure 1.

The present invention broadly contemplates the provision of an improved purse comprising a bottom wall, front and rear Walls hinged to said bottom wall and movable between open and closed positions with respect thereto, flexible side walls extending from said bottom wall and connected to said front and rear walls, each of said side walls having a recess formed in the upper edge thereof, the upper portions of said front wall adapted to register with said recesses when said front wall is in closed position.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the improved receptacle includes a base of core member formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material including a center portion and integrally joined front and rear portions delineated `from said base portion by score lines defining hinges permitting the swinging of Ithe front and rear portions relative to the center portion between inwardly folded substantially horizontal positions and upwardly directed positions substantially perpendicular to the center portion. The' outer faces of the front and rear walls of the body portion are covered by a suitable facing material, and these portions are joined along their outer edges by panels of flexible material defining side walls or gussets which are likewise secured to the center portion, the side walls or gussets having fold lines formed .therein extending from approximately the upper mid-point of the side walls to the lower corners thereof so that upon closing of the front and rear walls the side walls will collapse inwardly and downwardly. The upper edges of the flexible side walls are substantially horizontal from the front to about the mid-point of the walls, and ythereafter there is formed a deep recess in each wall of substantially triangular configuration, apex-directed downwardly, `the wall being provided with a short narrow slit extending downwardly from the apex of the recess. Following the recess, the side walls extend to an elevation slightly higher than the elevation of the remainder of the side walls until -they meet the hinged rear wall. The inner face of the core member is lined with any suitable material. Spring means are provided urging the front and rear walls to an open position. A suitable Hap carrying a separable fastener is secured to ythe purse base, and cooperates with a male fastener carried on the rear wall to permit the retaining of the purse in a closed condition. T-he entire purse assembly may be carried or supported on the inner face of a wallet and secured thereto in a suitable fashion.

Referring now to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 10 generally designates a wallet of conventional con` struction carrying on its inner face a purse 12 constructed in accordance with the present invention, the underface of the purse 12 being secured to the confronting face of the wallet lil by a suitable adhesive, stitching, rivets or the like. The purse 12 includes a body or core member 14 formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as cardboard, plastic or the like and consisting of a rectangular shaped ,base member 16, a front panel 1S and a rear panel 20. The panels 18 `and 20 are likewise of rectangular conguration, front panel 18 being shorter than -rear panel 30 and both panels being preferably but not necessarily integrally formed with base 16, and being delineated therefrom by means of score lines, `formed along the joining edges dening hinges permitting the free swinging of the front and rear panels i8 and 2t? between a horizontal closed position as in Figure 1 and an upright open position as in Figure 2.

A pair of side walls or gussets 22 are provided, which are formed of a flexible material and consist of a pair of panels 24 and 26 respectively joined along diagonal lines 28 by stitching 29, and having their free edges 31 directed inwardly and define the respective inwardly collapsing fold lines extending angularly upward from the forward lower corner of the purse to approximately the mid-point of the upper edge of the gussets or side walls 22. The lower borders of the panels 24 and 26 are folded inwardly `and suitably secured to Ithe und-efface of base member 16 as by adhesive, rivets or the like. Each panel 26 includes a rear vertically extending portion 30 abutting the outer face of the rear panel 2i) thereby connecting the rear edges of the gussets 22 thereto, each front panel 24 including a forward portion 32 abutting the outer face of the front panel 18 and joining thereto the forward edges of walls 22. In addition to the diagonal fold line 28, each of side walls 22 is provided with a second fold line 34 extending from the rear lower corner of the purse to substantially .the point of intersection of the fold line 28 and the upper edge of side wall 22.

A recess 36 is formed in the upper rear edge of each side wall 22, the recess including a trough disposed rearwardly of a point midway between the front and rear panels 18 and 20 and being defined by a curved convex forward edge 38 extending from about the mid-point of the upper edge of the wall 22 to an apex 40, the opposite edge including a sharply ascending portion 42 which, with the confronting portion of the edge 38, defines a narrow slit. Extending upwardly from recess edge 42 is the concave recess edge 44 which extends to a point above the level of the forward upper edge of side wall 22 and thence extends rearwardly to rear panel 20.

The outer surfaces of the front and rear walls of the purse are covered with suitable facing panels 46 and 48 respectively which may be cemented, stitched or otherwise secured to the confronting walls of panels 24 and 26.

The upper edge of the purse rear wall carries a decorative channel-shapped molding 50, which secures the aligned upper edges of the various layers forming the rear wall. The lower edges of the panels 46 and 48 are folded under the base of the purse and under the borders of a finishing panel 52 secured to the under surface of the purse .base- The inner surface of the core or a body member 14, including panels 16, 18 and 20 is lined with a suitable material 54 such as fabric, plastic or the like. Thus, the front wall of the purse includes the facing panel 46, the intermediate panel 32, the core member 18 and the lining layer 54, whereas the base includes the finishing panel 52, the core bottom panel 16 and .the lining 54, and the rear wall includes the facing panel 48, vthe rear portion 30 of the panel 26, the rear body member panel and the lining 54.

In order to urge the purse front and rear walls to a fully open position, there is provided a pair of com-v plementary symmetrical spring members 56, each of which is formed of resilient wire and includes a transversely extending cross `arm 58 laterally spaced from the cross arm of the opposite spring member 56, the cross arms 58 being sandwiched between the confronting faces of the core base 16 and the bottom panel 52. Projecting laterally from the ends of each of the spring cross arms 58 and directed to the opposite cross arm 58 are the arms 60, which terminate in normally upwardly directed legs 64. The rear legs 64 of the springs 56 are sandwiched between the confronting faces of the body member rear panel 20 and the panel 30, whereas the front legs 64 are sandwiched .between the confronting faces of the body member front panel 18 and the panel 32.

In order to permit the locking of the purse in closed position, there is provided a exible tongue k65 having an end thereof secured to the underface of the purse base and having its opposite free end carrying a female snap fastener component 66. Carried on `the outer face'of the purse rear wall is a cooperating female separable fastener component 67, so that upon the closing of the purse, as illustrated in Figure 1 of the'drawing, fastener components 66 and 67 may be mutually engaged and the purse retained in its closed position with rear panel 20 overlying the upper portion of front panel 18.

Considering now the operation ofthe improved purse, when snap fastener components 66 and 67 are disengaged, the spring legs 64 urge the front and rear panels 18 and 20 to swing upwardly of and away from the base panel 16, carrying therewith the gussets 22 and 22 lto upright position, Vand flaring the walls of the purse to fully open position, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawing. In order to close the purse, the front fall is first swung rearwardly toits closed position, in the manner illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing, whereupon each side wall 22 collapses inwardly along the fold lines 28 and 34, bringing the upper edge of the forward portion of each side wall 22 into registry with the upper edge of the purse front wall, and the side wall recess edge likewise collapses inwardly into engagement with the confronting face of side wall panel 24. The collapsed portion of side wall 22 and the upper edge of the purse front wall, when the latter is in closed position, are in close proximity to the lower apex of side wall recesses 36, and the rear purse wall may thereafter be closed and brought into position overlaying the outer face of the purse front wall. The purse closed position may be maintained by engaging the flap female separable fastener 66 with its male counterpart 67 carried by the purse rear wall. When `the purse is in the closed position, arms 60 -of the springs 56 are under torsional stress so that upon opening of the ap the springs 56 will automatically urge the purse into its fully open position.

While there has been described and illustrated herein a preferred embodiment of the present invention it is apparent that numerous alterations and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim: Y

1. An improved receptacle of the character described comprising a bottom wall, front and rear Walls hinged to said bottom wall and movable between open and closed positions with 'respect thereto, flexible side walls extending from said bottom wall and connected to said front and yrear walls, each of said side walls having a recess formed in the upper edge thereof, said recess including a trough disposed rearwardly of points midway between said front yand rear walls, the upper portion of said front wall adapted to register with said recesses when said front wall is in closed position.

2. An improved receptacle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said side walls have inwardly projecting fold lines formed therein extending from the lower corners thereof to the upper edge of said side walls between the ends thereof.

3. An improved receptacle in accordance with claim l, wherein each of said recesses is of substantially triangular configuration with its apex directed downwardly.

4. An improved receptacle in accordance with claim 3, wherein each of said side walls has a hollow slit formed therein directed downwardly from said corresponding recess apex.

5. An improved receptacle in accordance with claim 1, wherein said recesses are formed in the rear sections of said side walls.

6. An improved receptacle comprising a rectangular bottom wall, rectangular front and rear walls hinged to said bottom wall along opposite edges thereof and movable between a closed position defined by said front wall overlying said bottom w-all and said rear wall overlying said front wall, and an open position wherein said front and rear walls are substantially at right angles to said bottom wall and parallel to each other, the front wall being shorter than the rear wall, liexible and inwardly collapsible side walls connected to the bottom wall and to the front and rear walls, each of said side walls having a recess formed and extending downwardly from the upper edge thereof, said recess including a trough disposed rearwardly of a point intermediate said front and rear walls, the upper portions of the front wall registering with rthe recesses when the front and back walls are in closed position overlying the bottom wall.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 458,235 Lieker Aug. 25, 1891 899,654 Bloomer Sept. 29, 1908 1,599,128 Goldburg et al. Sept. 7, 1926 2,124,287 Claviez Iuly 19, 1938 2,640,520 Miller et al. June 2, 1953 

